英美文

P9 1.What does the “to be or not to be” soliloquy (独白) tell us about Hamlet’s state of mind? It shows Hamlet’s hesitation.Hamlet has already spoken of suicide as means of escape, and he dwells (踌躇) on it in a later part of this soliloquy. 或者:The soliloquy opens with a question, and there are two other extended questions in the passage, all of which suggests that Hamlet is undecided, and either unable or unwilling to make up his mind. Hamlet appears to be thinking suicide. His comments on human life suggest that he sees it in term of suffering, anguish, and pain. Hamlet’s explanation for people’s failure to commit suicide is a cynical (愤世嫉俗的) one, because it simply indicates that people are frightened that worse things await them after death. When the speech opens its meter is broken, again suggesting uncertainty and confusion, but it becomes more ordered as the speech proceeds. Hamlet appears to take comfort in explaining away the situation he finds himself in, perhaps suggesting that he calms his fears by apparently rational thought. Hamlet’s imagery centers on pain and suffering, suggesting man in continual pain. His final reference to Ophelia might also suggest a man tortured (痛苦) by a sense of guilt, an awareness of his own sins. Therefore this soliloquy suggests that Hamlet is unable to make up his mind, contemplating (企图) suicide, and disenchanted with the suffering of human life. He is cynical, but comforts himself with reflection, even though he is clearly suffering greatly and aware of his own sins and weakness. 2.How do you understand the character of Hamlet? Hamlet is a tragic character. He is a man of genius, highly accomplished and educated, a man of profound perception and sparkling wit. He is a scholar, soldier and statesman all combined. Hamlet is a humanist, a man who is free from medieval prejudices and superstitions. He has an unbounded love for the world rather than for heaven. Like other humanist, he cherishes a profound reverence for man, and a firm belief in man’s power over destiny. His delight in nature and man is characteristic of the humanists of the Renaissance. Hamlet loves the good and hates the evil. He loves his father, his Ophelia and greets his schoolfellow with hearty welcome. In his contact with the people around him, he cares for nothing but human worth and shows contempt for frank and wealth. He has democratic tendency. Hamlet’s intellectual genius is outstanding. He is a close observer of men and m anners. He easily sees through people. His quick perception drives him to explore below the surface of things and questions what others take for granted. He observes the world that he is living in with a clear and sober mind. 3.Why Hamlet hesitates before taking decisive action? 4.Is Hamlet a “sweet prince” or an “arrant knave”? P11 1.What is the theme of this sonnet? This sonnet is the poet's heart-felt eulogy of the youth and beauty of his friend; also it is about poetry’s power to conquer time. Its theme ep itomizes the Renaissance humanist's admiration and celebration of man, instead of the Supreme Being as was the case in the Middle Ages. 1 2.Why is the speaker’s beloved more lovely than a summer’s day? There are several reasons mentioned in this sonnet:A) Be cause in summer’s time, there are rough winds which may shake the darling buds of May; B) Summer is too short; C) During summer’s time, sometimes the sun is too hot; and D) The beauty of summer’s day may be stripped either by fortune or by the course of na ture’s changes. 3.There is obviously a shift of tone and subject matter in line 9. Describe such a shift. In the first eight lines, the poet is comparing the beauty of his friend to the beauty of a summer’s day. Starting from line 9 he turns to talk about the eternity (来世) of poetry. P20 1.What does Crusoe learn from reading of the Bible? He might be more happy in this solitary condition than he should have been in a liberty of society, and in all the pleasures of the world. 2.What are the characteristics of Crusoe from the selected reading? With a great capacity for work, inexhaustible energy (精力充沛), courage and persistence in overcoming difficulties(在克服困难方面持之以恒), he starts a new life in the desolate island, which demands a lot of courage and daring. 3.When he traveled across the island, he found the other part of the island was much more lush than his own part, why did he still return to his part? Because he was fixed in his habitation, it became natural to him, and he seemed, all the while he was there, to be as it were upon a journey from home. 4.What are the features of style of the novel? P32 1.How does the poet depict the host of daffodils? 2.What does “daffodil” stand for? It is oversimplifying to conclude that The Daffodils is nothing but a poem on the beauty of nature. In fact, it is a poem on poetry writing from a new critical perspective (观点,看法). Wordsworth believes that “all good poetry is the spontaneous (自然产生的) overflow of powerful feeling” and poetry “takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility(宁静)”.This poem serves as an illustration of his theory on versification (诗律). P34 1.What does Wordsworth compare the song of the Highland Lass with? 2.Analyze the form of this poem. The structure is a four-eight line stanzas each ending with a couplet (对句) and composed of lines that are written in iambic (抑扬格) tetrameter (四音步句). 2